"One, The Homosexual Viewpoint" Archive, 1960-63

One: The Homosexual Viewpoint

Archive

[LGBTQ] Archive of three issues of One: The Homosexual Viewpoint, 1960–1963. Los Angeles: One, Inc., 1960–1963. Three issues. Digest-size pictorial wrappers. Each issue 32 pp. A rare grouping of early gay rights periodicals published by One, Inc., the pioneering Los Angeles–based organization that operated the first openly homophile publication in the United States. Founded in 1952 and inspired by the Mattachine Society, One provided a vital intellectual and cultural forum for gay men and lesbians during the pre-Stonewall era, addressing issues of identity, persecution, and political advocacy at a time when homosexuality was criminalized in most states. This group includes Vol. VIII No. 11 (Nov. 1960), Vol. IX No. 3 (Mar. 1961), and Vol. XI No. 5 (May 1963).

The November 1960 issue features the cover story “I Sought Love” by Danshoku Okagami (as told to Valentine Richardson), a rare and intimate narrative of Asian American homosexual desire and alienation, making this one of the earliest published accounts of queer Asian identity in American gay press. Other contributions include “It’s Never Too Late,” a short story by J. Lorna Strayer, and “Mister W.H. Replies,” a poetic homage to Shakespeare’s possibly queer muse. The March 1961 issue includes James R. Steuart’s essay “Homosexual Procreation,” an intellectual rebuttal to mid-century eugenic theories, alongside Ives Cerny’s fiction “The New Butcher Boy,” and William V. Stone’s poignant sonnet. The May 1963 issue leads with James F. Kearful’s “The New Nazism,” an editorial critique of authoritarianism within American governance and law enforcement against homosexuals; other notable entries include “The Homosexual and the Police” by Frank C. Wood, Jr., and “I Should Hate Myself, I Know” by Pierre Foreau, exploring internalized homophobia and queer Catholic guilt.

These issues are especially valuable for their intersectional content, including early racial representation, poetic and literary contributions, and sustained editorial engagement with law, psychiatry, and censorship. The publication was instrumental in One, Inc. v. Olesen (1958), the Supreme Court case that ruled in favor of its right to distribute pro-homosexual content via the U.S. mail—a landmark legal precedent in LGBTQ+ First Amendment rights. Staple-bound wraps lightly toned with some edgewear; the March 1961 issue with light dampstaining to upper margin of front wrapper. Interiors clean and unmarked. Overall very good condition.
A compelling archive of One Magazine issues from its early post-censorship period, offering firsthand insight into the sociopolitical climate and literary voice of mid-century American queer resistance.

Item #22023

Price: $280.00

Status: On Hold